WEBVTT CER NEEDED SURGERY.WESH 2'S DAN BILLOW IS LIVE THISAFTERNOON.DAN, YOU SPOKE WITH AN OFFICERWHO SAW THE WHOLE THING GO DOWN.>> JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO, THEOFFICER WHO WAS RIGHT HERE GAVEA VIVID ACCOUNT OF WHATHAPPENED.LET'S GIVE YOU LOOK AT THATSCENE.OFFICER RICHARD LEACH WASTRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.HE WENT BY AIR.OFFICER BEN LANDIS IS ANOTHERMOTORCYCLE OFFICER WHO WORKEDWITH THE INJURED OFFICER.HE SAYS EDGY CAME RIGHT ACROSS-- A JEEP CAME RIGHT ACROSS U.S.ONE, AND HE SAYS LEECH HIT THEOTHER VEHICLE AT ABOUT 45 MILESPER HOUR.HE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO DO THATOR HEAD INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.>> HE WENT OVER THE HANDLEBARS.HE WENT HAD POSED INTO THEWINDSHIELD AND GET A SOMERSAULTA FEW TIMES BEFORE LANDINGFACEDOWN ON THE MEDIAN.DAN: IT WAS SECONDS LATER THATTHIS DRIVER LOOKED AROUND, SO NOONE WAS WATCHING HIM, AND DROVEOFF, SHOWING NO CONCERN FOR THEFOLLOWING OFFICER ACCORDING TOLANDIS.THE OFFICER IS STILL IN THEHOSPITAL WITH BROKEN BONES INHIS HAND, BRUISES AND SCRAPES,BUT HE IS EXPECTED TO RECOVER.THE POLICE DEPARTMENT EXPECTS TOFIND THIS DRIVER WHO IS STILL

Police search for driver who struck, injured Cocoa officer

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 12:23 PM EDT May 1, 2017

COCOA, Fla. —

Authorities in Brevard County are searching for a driver who collided with a Cocoa police motorcycle officer Sunday and then fled the scene.

Police said officer Rickford Leitch was working to escort the "Moving Wall" through Brevard County when the crash happened.

Advertisement

Related Content

As the procession moved south on U.S. 1 and Rosa L. Jones, the driver of a dark blue Jeep Cherokee attempted to turn east on Rosa L. Jones and pulled directly in front of Leitch, who was traveling full speed.

Leitch struck the driver's side of the Jeep and was thrown from his motorcycle. He was taken to a hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Cocoa police said Lietch did have several broken bones in his hands that required surgery.

The driver of the Jeep fled from officers who attempted to stop him.

The Jeep's driver is described as a black man in his late 20's or early 30's, he may have a mustache and goatee, and short hair.

The Jeep has damage to the driver's side door and is missing the driver side mirror. The Rockledge Police Department is investigating the crash

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS.